


See if I care

by NairobiWonders



Category: Elementary (TV)
Genre: Coin, Cold, Expressing feelings the only way you know how, F/M, Gen, Joanlock - Freeform, Partnership, Platonic Joanlock - Freeform, Snow, Stakeout, details, its how you look at it I suppose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-17 13:29:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29593515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NairobiWonders/pseuds/NairobiWonders
Summary: Fluff that blew in through an open window and settled in drifts.Started as a drabble to celebrate Details, the anniversary of the partnership proposal/Valentine’s day ... but it kept growing.
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & Joan Watson (Elementary), Sherlock Holmes/Joan Watson (Elementary)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 50





	See if I care

“I’m freezing.” Joan tugged at her gloves and folded her arms close up in front of her.

A small gust of wind shook the branches of the pine tree, loosening a light shower of ice droplets and snow over them. 

With his free hand, Sherlock gently brushed off the dusting of snow from the furry hood of her parka. 

“I told you to stay home,” he returned to fidgeting with the camera strapped around his neck. “...that this stakeout was going to be cold and miserable. But you wouldn’t listen,” he handed her the camera’s lens cap. 

She stuffed it into her pocket then reached over and pulled his wool cap further down over a cold-reddened ear. “There’s a nor’easter coming in. No way I’m letting you get lost in a blizzard up here all alone. I go where you go remember?”

“So your solution was to come with and freeze to death with me?” He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Perhaps it’s time to retire that ‘I go where you go’ phrase, hmm?” The snow crunched beneath his boots as he angled for a better view of the cabin.

“Fine. Next time you can go ahead and freeze on your own.” Joan muttered, “See if I care.” She dropped her chin into the folds of her scarf and shivered. 

The wind whipped up again and pushed an icy blast hard against them; he moved closer to shield her as best he could from it’s sting. They huddled and waited for it to die down.

“Are you sure he’s even down there?” She muttered into her scarf. 

“89.7% sure. For a dead man, he’s quite hard to pin down.”

Joan rolled her eyes at him, “How do you even come up with those numbers. Calculating your own percent of ...” 

With a jerk of his head, he cut off her rant and redirected her to the cabin. The door opened and the late Ronald Marin walked out looking very much alive and quite healthy. 

“I’m now 99.9% sure,” he whispered as his camera started clicking. 

Mr. Marin walked over to the woodpile and, after procuring an armload of logs and providing them with evidence that he was not the victim of a grisly murder, receded once more into the safety of the cabin. 

With a satisfied hum, Sherlock put down the camera and excitedly met Watson’s gaze. “Next step, finding out the true identity of the murder victim.”

Joan nodded, “And freeing Mr. Clabbers.”

“Yes.” He extended his hand toward her, “Lens cap, please?”

Joan reached into her pocket and fumbled about for a bit eventually producing the lens cap but in the process dropping a coin into the snow. “Damn it!” She handed him the cap and bent to search for the coin.

Sherlock secured his camera and watched her, “The wind is picking up again.... it is going to get colder quickly ...” Joan ignored him and kept carefully digging through the snow. “I will be glad to reimburse you for the loss of your coin from our petty cash.”

She shot him that ‘just shut up’ look, a look with which he was very familiar. He sighed and crouched down to help her, quickly finding the sought-after prize. He examined the coin before turning it over to her. “Isn’t this the coin we found outside of Marcus’ apartment?” 

Joan took the coin from him, inwardly cursing his memory. She didn’t reply. 

He continued, “It is, isn’t it? The 1971 Hong Kong coin with the bauhinia flower on one side and Queen Elizabeth on the obverse?” Joan carefully put the coin away as he stood and continued talking. “That was the day I asked you to be my partner ...” his voice trailed off as he remembered the day and deduced why the coin might hold significance for her.

Joan, looking slightly embarrassed, finally met his gaze and then looked away. “Mmm yeah ... I kept it ... for uhm... whatever.....” She shrugged, “Good luck, I suppose.”

He watched her; a tender smile on his face. 

She shook her head at him, “What?” She slapped her arms to her side, “What’s that look for?”

“Nothing, nothing.” He swallowed his smile. 

“Come on.” She started walking, “We’d better get back to the car before the storm gets worse.” 

A gentle snow began to fall. They fell in step and walked in silence until his shoulder bumped hers and he bent his head to her ear. “Never took you for the sentimental sort,” he teased.

She slapped repeatedly at his arm and pushed him, “Sherlock, stop it.” His goofy grin made her smile in spite of herself. 

She took off a glove and reached into her pocket. “I am going to throw this meaningless coin out as far as I can into the snow.” Joan threatened but the smile wouldn’t leave her face. “I mean it!” 

Sherlock stood back. “Go on.”

Resolve suddenly replaced her smile. She raised her arm to pitch the coin. He moved quickly and caught her arm mid-motion. She offered no resistance. 

Sherlock took the coin from her bare hand and placed it back in her pocket. He took the glove from her, “Give me your hand.” Childlike, she let him put the glove on for her. He held her newly gloved hand to his chest, letting his head drop to hers. Eyes closed, forehead to forehead, they stood in the silence of the falling snow. 

“I know it’s difficult for you to express. I shouldn’t have mocked you. I was just genuinely touched.” The whispered words hung in small vapor puffs and dissipated round them. 

Joan opened her eyes to his. He was right, words didn’t come easily to her. She expressed her feelings in the best way she could. Her lips met his in a soft warm kiss and lingered. 

The snow began to fall a little faster and yet neither showed any inclination to let go of the other. A distant rumble finally broke the moment. 

“Thunder snow!” They said simultaneously, eyes full of excitement at what for them was a new meteorological experience. Phones out he took down details of the atmosphere, temperature, wind direction and other pertinent data while she documented the skies and landscape in video. Satisfied they had the information they wanted, they started the climb back towards their vehicle.

“Maybe we should stay the night at that lodge we passed on the way here. The drive back to the City will be arduous under these conditions.”

“Yes,” she readily agreed. “As long as they have a fire in the fireplace and soft warm beds.” Her hand slipped naturally into his as the continued up the snowy slope.


End file.
